Time Conversion Chart for Travel
Updated June 20, 2026
If you are traveling from the US to Europe, Latin America, or Asia, every schedule you see will use 24-hour time. To convert any time, subtract 12 from hours 13 through 23 and add PM. This guide gives you a printable pocket chart and the exact times you will see on flights, trains, hotel signs, and restaurant confirmations.
The one conversion rule for travelers
If the hour is 13 or higher, subtract 12. That is it. 14:00 = 2 PM. 19:30 = 7:30 PM. 22:00 = 10 PM. If the hour is 00, it is midnight. If the hour is 01-11, it is AM. Minutes never change. Open the converter on your phone to double-check any time while traveling.
Printable travel time conversion chart
Save this to your phone or print it before your trip. Every time a traveler actually needs in one table.
| 24-hour | 12-hour | Where you will see it | 24-hour | 12-hour | Where you will see it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06:00 | 6:00 AM | Early flights, train departures | 07:00 | 7:00 AM | Hotel breakfast start |
| 08:00 | 8:00 AM | Museum opening, tour departures | 10:00 | 10:00 AM | Attraction opening, late breakfast |
| 11:00 | 11:00 AM | Hotel check-out (standard) | 12:00 | 12:00 PM | Noon — last checkout, lunch |
| 14:00 | 2:00 PM | Hotel check-in (standard) | 15:00 | 3:00 PM | Hotel check-in, late lunch |
| 16:00 | 4:00 PM | Museum last entry, afternoon train | 17:30 | 5:30 PM | Evening train, museum closing |
| 18:30 | 6:30 PM | Dinner reservation, evening flight | 19:00 | 7:00 PM | Restaurant dinner, concert doors |
| 20:00 | 8:00 PM | Show start, late dinner (Spain) | 21:00 | 9:00 PM | Spanish dinner hour, evening events |
| 22:00 | 10:00 PM | Last train of the day, restaurant closing | 23:00 | 11:00 PM | Late night arrival, final check-in |
For the full 24-hour reference with 15-minute intervals, see the complete time conversion chart.
Common travel times by category
Flights
Departure boards, boarding passes, confirmations
06:00 = 6 AM
07:30 = 7:30 AM
14:45 = 2:45 PM
18:30 = 6:30 PM
22:15 = 10:15 PM
Trains
European rail, Eurostar, Japan Rail
08:17 = 8:17 AM
12:36 = 12:36 PM
15:22 = 3:22 PM
17:48 = 5:48 PM
19:04 = 7:04 PM
Hotels
Check-in, check-out, breakfast
07:00 = breakfast
11:00 = check-out
14:00 = check-in
15:00 = check-in (late)
Restaurants
Reservations confirmations across Europe
12:00-14:00 = 12-2 PM lunch service. 19:00-21:00 = 7-9 PM dinner. Spain runs later: lunch at 14:00, dinner at 21:00.
Attractions & museums
Opening hours signs and tickets
Ouvert 10:00-18:00 = Open 10 AM-6 PM. Last entry often 1 hour before closing. Closed Mondays common in France/Italy.
Destination quick guide
| Destination | Time format | What to expect | Local style |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | 24-hour | All schedules, signs, tickets | Uses "h": 14h30 |
| Italy | 24-hour | Trains, museums, restaurants | Standard colon: 19:30 |
| Spain | 24-hour | Everything written. Meal times famously late | Lunch 14:00, dinner 21:00+ |
| Germany | 24-hour | Even casual texts may use 24h | "Uhr" = o'clock: 14 Uhr |
| Japan | 24-hour | Trains, TV, official docs | Conversation: 12h with gozen/gogo |
| UK | Mixed | Rail/BBC: 24h. Daily life: 12h | Reads 19:00, says "seven" |
| Brazil | 24-hour | All written schedules | Spoken uses "da tarde/noite" |
Three tricks for fast conversion on the go
Trick 1: Subtract 2, then drop the first digit. 14:00: 14 - 2 = 12, drop the 1 = 2 PM. 17:00: 17 - 2 = 15, drop the 1 = 5 PM. 21:00: 21 - 2 = 19, drop the 1 = 9 PM. Works for PM times only.
Trick 2: Memorize the afternoon block. 13 = 1 PM, 14 = 2 PM, 15 = 3 PM, 16 = 4 PM, 17 = 5 PM. Once you know these five, everything else is just extending the pattern: 18 = 6, 19 = 7, 20 = 8, 21 = 9, 22 = 10, 23 = 11.
Trick 3: Set your phone to 24-hour mode. Before your trip, switch your iPhone (Settings > General > Date & Time > 24-Hour Time) or Android (Settings > System > Date & Time > Use 24-hour format) to 24-hour display. After two days of seeing 14:00 on your lock screen, the conversion becomes automatic.
Quick reference: 13:00 = 1 PM, 14:00 = 2 PM, 15:00 = 3 PM, 16:00 = 4 PM, 17:00 = 5 PM, 18:00 = 6 PM, 19:00 = 7 PM, 20:00 = 8 PM, 21:00 = 9 PM, 22:00 = 10 PM, 23:00 = 11 PM.